Manatee County distribute all COVID tests at public libraries

UPDATED at 1:15 p.m., with all test kits given away.

BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - After announcing it would distribute at-home COVID-19 tests Wednesday, Manatee County has given out all of its tests at all five county library locations.

Every available COVID-19 test kit was distributed Wednesday morning at the Braden River, Palmetto, and South Manatee libraries. The downtown Central, Island and Rocky Bluff branches opened at noon. By 12:30, all of the test kits were gone.

Distribution was limited to four kits per person.

The county suggests people take a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in their household.

A positive result means that the test detected the virus, and you are very likely to have an infection and should stay home or isolate for 10 days, wear a mask if you could have contact with others, and avoid indoor gatherings to reduce the risk of spreading disease to someone else.

A negative result means that the test did not detect the virus and you may not have an infection, but it does not rule out infection. Repeating the test within a few days, with at least 24 hours between tests, will increase the confidence that you are not infected.